Glenwood Springs, CO

We took the Lord's heart with us as we pulled into Glenwood Springs, CO just a few hours later, for what was supposed to be another “quick stop” to get food. It turned into a pull that we should stay. We didn’t have a place to stay or a plan, but we felt peace. Before we left for the tour, dear friends challenged Briauna,

“If you reach a place where you have no plan, watch Jesus do miracles one-by-one, and meet your needs. Forsake your agenda and walk away with encounters from Jesus providing for you.”

As we sat on the curb with no plan, a fire fighter shouted down from the town’s fire station. He told us we were in the perfect spot. With one of the largest homeless populations in Colorado, our hearts broke as we went a day out of our way to love on the poor.

Two bikers stood on the bridge, taking in the beauty of the mountains and Colorado air. They asked what we were doing because of our black Two Cents T-shirts. After we told them, they informed us that the government had destroyed the homes of the homeless in downtown Colorado Springs, basically kicking them out. The majority was forced to relocate and many now live in other places like Pueblo and Glenwood Springs. We were infuriated. They have no place to live and we keep shutting them out and pushing them away. It’s like we’re telling them they belong nowhere. One man we talked to told us that he would experiment all the time on the streets by saying “Hi” to people, simply to see how many would ignore him. “All the time,” He told us.

“They act like I don’t exist all the time.”

People are hungry for an authentic encounter with Jesus, and in a state filled with gypsies and hippies and a new-age crew, some walked away uninterested. We spent time in prayer as a team asking God for specific “encounters” with people, and each time we prayed we literally found the people we were praying about and got to speak life into them and tell them about a man named Jesus, who sees them and sent us there to tell them just that. A lot asked us how we knew so much about them, and were puzzled that young college kids knew that much about them. We saw one man who was curious. And that curiosity opened the door for him to meet Jesus. He was about to start a new job where he worked with all Atheists. We treated him to coffee and welcomed him with tears, into the family. If that’s not God making a light in the darkness, I don’t know what is. Jesus has been in every detour. He’s been in every gas station. And He’s been in every single conversation.

Colorado stretched us and gave us a greater confidence in hearing his voice. There were times when we didn’t want to be bold. And I’m not going to lie, we’ve had multiple people pat us on the back and tell us how proud of us they are. And that is so great and we are so appreciative of that, but it was never about that. We just want people to see that it can be fun to follow Jesus. And that we have a responsibility to care for the people of our country. The poor and helpless matter. We hope and pray that these stories would burn in your heart. Let them ignite a flame in you that feels the weight of this urgency.